Well, its a better idea than an entertainer class...
lol
Yeah, they have decent success with this. The main objection to it is that the big alliance that has publicly stated that their mission is to ruin EVE will take over (they will remain nameless)... this hasn't really happened.
Candidates platform on their playstyle and reputation. You aren't necessarily voting just for your CEO (in PS2 would be outfit leader), you're voting for the person who best represents your interests.